TOKYO, Sep 16 – Universiti Teknologi Malaysia (UTM) strengthened its pursuit of global research excellence, talent development and innovation through a high-level strategic mission to Japan’s four highest-ranked universities in the QS World University Rankings 2027.
From 14 to 16 September 2026, the UTM delegation engaged with The University of Tokyo, Kyoto University, The University of Osaka and Institute of Science Tokyo, strengthening existing partnerships while identifying new opportunities for wider institutional collaboration.
The delegation comprised representatives from the UTM Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Research and Innovation) portfolio, Malaysia-Japan International Institute of Technology (MJIIT), and Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA). The mission was also supported by the UTM Strategic and Global Eminence Office, underscoring UTM’s institutional commitment to strengthening global visibility, strategic partnerships and long-standing Malaysia-Japan collaboration.
The mission supports the aspirations of UTM ASCEND 2030, particularly in advancing research excellence, global talent, strategic international networks, innovation and commercialisation.
“We are here to learn from the best. These are the four highest-ranked universities in Japan in the QS World University Rankings, and this engagement provides UTM with an important opportunity not only to benchmark excellence, but also to identify areas where we can build meaningful and sustainable partnerships,” said the Dean of MJIIT, Assoc. Prof. Ir. Ts. Dr. Nurulakmar Abu Husain.
Throughout the three-day mission, the UTM delegation was honoured to be received by presidents, vice-presidents, distinguished researchers, professors and senior university representatives from the four institutions. Discussions focused on joint research, academic development, postgraduate education, researcher and student mobility, industry engagement, innovation and commercialisation.
At the Institute of Science Tokyo, UTM already has two existing interdepartmental agreements, providing a strong foundation for continued collaboration. One of the key outcomes was discussion on progressing this relationship from department-level cooperation towards a broader inter-institutional agreement, which would enable wider participation across faculties, research groups and academic disciplines.
The engagement with Kyoto University supports MJIIT’s ongoing development of a Civil Engineering programme. As part of the programme development process, benchmarking has been carried out with Kyoto University, drawing on its academic expertise and established strengths in civil engineering education and research. The visit also provided an opportunity to exchange perspectives with Kyoto University professors and explore future areas of academic cooperation, including student exchange and academic mobility.
At the University of Tokyo, the delegation was welcomed by senior university representatives and distinguished academics, as well as UTM students currently undertaking internships and academic programmes there, ranging from internship placements to postgraduate and PhD studies.
Their presence demonstrated an active talent pipeline between UTM and one of the world’s leading universities, while highlighting opportunities to further strengthen research exposure, postgraduate education, internships, joint supervision and researcher mobility.
Another significant highlight was UTM’s exposure to the innovation and commercialisation ecosystem surrounding the Matsuo-Iwasawa Laboratory at The University of Tokyo. The laboratory has established an ecosystem integrating advanced research, education, social implementation and startup development, particularly in artificial intelligence (AI), data science and deep learning.
The approach of encouraging researchers and students to translate university-generated knowledge into technology ventures and startup companies was of particular interest to the UTM delegation. The ecosystem has contributed to the establishment of more than 20 startup companies, providing insights for UTM representatives involved in innovation and commercialisation.
At the University of Osaka, discussions highlighted the potential to further expand networks between Japan, Malaysia and the wider Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN)) region.
“We would like to expand a greater network to ASEAN countries, especially Malaysia, through our alumni,” said the Executive Vice-President (International, DE&I) of The University of Osaka during the engagement.
The discussion reinforced UTM’s potential role as a strategic bridge between Japan, Malaysia and ASEAN, particularly through MJIIT’s extensive network of Japanese universities, government organisations and industry partners.
A key message emerging from the mission is that UTM’s relationships with the four universities are not beginning with this visit. Instead, the mission builds upon existing engagements and provides a platform to expand them into broader and more structured partnerships. Existing interdepartmental agreements at the Institute of Science Tokyo, benchmarking with Kyoto University, active student and researcher engagement at The University of Tokyo, and discussions on strengthening links with Malaysia and ASEAN at The University of Osaka provide pathways for wider institutional collaboration.
Moving forward, UTM aims to deepen these partnerships through inter-university agreements, joint research, academic collaboration, talent mobility, innovation and commercialisation, while strengthening its role as a bridge between Japan, Malaysia and the wider ASEAN region. These efforts are closely aligned with UTM ASCEND 2030, particularly in expanding international research networks, developing global talent, advancing academic excellence and translating strategic partnerships into measurable impact.
As UTM advances towards ASCEND 2030, these partnerships will support the next phase of Malaysia-Japan academic cooperation, with greater emphasis on research, education, talent development, innovation and institution-wide collaboration. UTM continues to ascend, connecting Malaysia with the world through knowledge, innovation and partnerships that create impact.
